Never let your pasta go sauce-less again!
Can you freeze marinara sauce? Yes, you can—and you should! Preparing and freezing this simple marinara sauce will save you a ton of time and energy at meal times. It’s wonderful to have a home-cooked, from scratch dinner each night, but sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy to cook—we’ve all been there!
You can freeze large batches of marinara sauce to use in recipes over the course of months, infusing your meals with fresh flavors and nutrition. All you need to do is pop your frozen marinara sauce out of the freezer, thaw it, and you’re well on your way to a meal that tastes like you’ve been cooking for hours!
This basic marinara sauce recipe will become your new favorite addition to any Italian meal! It makes a large batch, perfect for freezing. Plus, this quick marinara sauce can be used in a limitless number of different ways. Prepare a batch on Sunday night and use some for lasagna or a baked pasta casserole. Freeze the rest and thaw for an easy marinara sauce-covered spaghetti dinner later in the month. The possibilities are limitless!
Read on for our fool-proof healthy marinara sauce recipe, as well as freezing and reheating instructions.
Use this quick marinara sauce recipe on our Skinny Spaghetti, Baked Chicken Parmesan, or Super Veggie Lasagna.
How to Make Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 yellow onions medium, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 84 ounces no-salt-added crushed tomatoes cans
- 3 tablespoons basil fresh, thinly sliced or substitute 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon oregano fresh or substitute 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, 6 minutes, or until tender.
- Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds.
- Add vinegar, and cook 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
- Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 1 hour, or until thickened.
Nutrition Information
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How to Freeze Marinara Sauce
Now you know how to make it, but can you freeze marinara sauce? Let’s learn how to freeze the sauce you just made so that you’ll always have some on hand!
Freezing Instructions
Cool sauce to room temperature, and ladle into plastic containers or zip-top freezer bags. We recommend freezing in 3-cup portions, which is equivalent to 6 servings of sauce, or in 1-cup portions for a smaller household. Store in freezer up to 4 months.
Thawing and Reheating Instructions
Thaw sauce in refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, place frozen sauce in a saucepan over medium heat, and stir occasionally until sauce comes to a simmer. Sauce can also be thawed in microwave until heated through.
Mix-Ins and Variations
- Add chopped, roasted vegetables or sautéed mushrooms for a chunkier sauce.
- Stir nonfat plain Greek yogurt in warm sauce to create a creamy texture and add a boost of protein.
- Purée sauce with roasted red peppers.
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Do you know how many ounces or pounds the total yield is on this recipe? Thanks!
Natalia, We don’t calculate the yield in weight.